


An Act of Kindness

by sniperct



Series: Legend of Korrasami [6]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Homeless, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Femslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-06 23:17:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3152000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sniperct/pseuds/sniperct
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While driving home from work one late night, Asami stumbles upon a young woman huddled against the cold in an alley. She can't very well just leave her there, now can she?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Girl in the Snow

She'd passed that alley every day for the last year. It was always empty, just a long stretch creeping back towards an old factory. Asami had considered buying that patch of land more than once, and turning it into something useful. Something nice. Maybe something to help better the city. A lot of people were out of work, and everyone was struggling, even Future Industries. Reinvigorating the area could help not just the people who lived here, but her company as well. It was something she'd have to plan very carefully - the wrong move could put her under and she took enough flack as it was for how young she was.

Tonight, the alley wasn't empty. There was a blanketed figure huddled in the snow, a burned out fire in the lid of a trash can. She slowed her car. It was a dangerous prospect in a neighborhood this beat down, but she couldn't help herself. She stared at the figure, then sighed and got out of the car. She doubted the person would survive the night in this weather.

Fingering the taser in her pocket and glancing around in case someone decided she made an easy target, she approached the person slowly. "Hello? Sir? Miss? Are you okay? It's freezing out here."

The person inside the blanket peered out, and Asami was greeted with the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen. They were set into a dark face and she realized that this girl was about her own age. She knelt in the snow, afraid of spooking the girl. "Hey there. I'm Asami. Are you hungry? How does a hot meal sound?"

The girl frowned. "What would I owe you?"

Her voice as pleasant. Asami bit her lip. "Not a thing."

"... Okay." She shuffled to her feet, the blanket and her hood falling back to fully reveal her face She was dirty and scuffed up, and one of her eyes was bruised.

Asami had to resist the urge to gently touch it. "So lets get something to eat, okay? My car is this way." She gestured towards it.

"It's the only car here," the girl grumbled. It was expensive looking. She didn't know car brands very well but Asami was clearly in a class of her own.  
She put her bag in the trunk and once she was inside the car, she wrapped her arms around herself. She waited for Asami to get in, then said cautiously. "I'm Korra."

"Korra." Asami let the name roll off of her tongue. She smiled at Korra, then flipped her hair off of her shoulders. "It's nice to meet you. What are you in the mood for?"

Korra blinked at her, wondering how anyone could have such perfect hair. "...I could really go for some Texmex right now." She didn't know what she was getting herself into, but the car was warm, her stomach rumbly, and the prissy woman in the seat next to her seemed genuine. She missed genuine people. 

In the better lighting of the restaurant, Asami could get a good look at Korra. Her clothing was thin and threadbare, and her shoes had seen better days. The only thing that as remotely in good condition was her jacket. That blanket needed to be _burned_.

"Uhm, get a seat, I'll go..." Korra gestured in the direction of the ladies room. "Clean up." 

Asami nodded, having the waiter give her a seat in a quiet corner. "Can you bring out some hot tea?"

"Of course."

"Thanks." She fidgeted with the watch on her wrist, wondering if it would make Korra uncomfortable. Asami was obviously well off, and she didn't want Korra to feel like less of a person in comparison. The car was bad enough.

She was trying to decide how to convince Korra to let her buy her some clothing when the woman came back. She'd washed her face and hands and the front of her shirt was damp, like she’d tried to clean that too. Her hair had been pulled into a messy ponytail. Asami felt her heart clench in empathy. “I ordered some tea, it should help warm you up.”

“Thanks.” Korra sank into the booth, like she was trying to hide. 

“If I was a serial killer you’d already be in trouble,” Asami joked. The tea arrived, and she busied herself with sweetener, before pushing a menu towards Korra. “Order whatever you want.”

Korra eyed her, then glanced down at the menu.

“I’m not asking for anything in return. If you’re too proud to accept charity, consider it taking advantage of a naive rich girl.”

The homeless girl’s lips twitched and Asami had to stop herself from beaming. “Oh no. You’re having a good time. How terrible.”

“I’m not too proud,” Korra muttered, flipping through the menu. Truth was, she’d reached a point where she was getting desperate. She’d run out of places to turn and she didn’t know the area well enough to know the safe places. It scared her.

Asami stopped herself when she reached to pat Korra’s hand. She didn’t want to intrude on her personal space, but she also thought that the other woman could use a hug. “If you want, I could help you find a job.” 

Korra laughed. “Yeah, sure. Like anyone would even look twice at me.” She busied herself with her tea, letting the warmth fill her in a way she could barely remember existed.

“That won’t be a problem.” Asami smirked as she sipped her own tea. “But order up, and then I’ll explain my idea. Just listen. You don’t have to agree to do anything you don’t want to do.”

She wasn’t sure that she wanted to be some kind of fixer-upper project, but the prospect of food made her willing to give it a shot. It didn’t hurt that Asami’s voice was nice to listen to. She hadn’t talked to anyone that made her feel this welcome in months.

It was unclear to Asami how to get Korra to open up. She thought maybe if she talked about herself it might make her feel more comfortable, but she didn’t want to sound like a braggert. Korra solved this dilemma by bluntly asking, “So what do you do?”

“You mean like my job?”

She nodded, then dug into the meal that she’d ordered. It was a hearty breakfast, with eggs and bacon, sausage and toast. There was a side of pancakes, an extra egg, and hashbrowns, as well as some fruit. Asami took in the sight with some amusement, but she didn’t point it out. She could afford it, and Korra looked under nourished.

“Well, I’m an engineer. Though that’s kind of a gross oversimplification of what I do. I also have to manage people and projects, and look over books and budgets.” She had people to do some of that but she liked to have a hand in it herself. “And on the side I like to tinker with cars. Especially fast ones I can race.”

“That would be fun to see.”

“Me racing?”

“That too. You’re kind of uhm…” Korra waved a hand. “Well kept?” She wanted to say prissy but she didn’t want to insult her. “I almost can’t picture you getting all greasy under a car.” And then she could, and the thought made her flush so she stuffed more food into her mouth to hide it.

“What about you? What kind of things did you do? Or like to do?” Turquoise eyes peered out curiously at Korra. 

She looked away and shrugged. “I don’t really… do anything. Not anymore.” She didn’t want to talk about it, mostly. But something about Asami made her want to open up. Korra wasn’t used to opening up.

“Nothing you consider fun?”

“I liked to snowboard.” Korra’s smile was lopsided, but it faded quickly. “But I can’t really do that any more.” She looked down at her plate, which had been completely cleaned of it’s contents. She felt full. It was a strange and uncomfortable feeling, but still a good one. With her plate empty, she thought that this was it. This nice, pretty girl was going to go on with her life, and probably pat herself on her back for doing a good deed for the day.


	2. How are you real?

Asami proved her wrong. _Really_ wrong. She rode in silence with Asami, occasionally sneaking glances at the other woman and wondering if this was the right thing to do. It wasn’t _safe_ and honestly she still felt a little weird taking charity. But one glance outside at the snow on the sidewalks and the overcast sky and she thought she didn’t really have a choice.

“It’s going to get nasty out there tonight,” Asami said. She kept sneaking glances of her own at Korra. “Don’t worry, I have plenty of room. Honestly it’s a little lonely living by myself.”

Korra wanted to know why a girl this pretty could be so shy. It was better than focusing on herself, at least. She opened her mouth to respond, but they pulled into a long driveway and she stared at Asami’s house. Her mouth stayed open in shock. That wasn’t a house, it was a _mansion_. “You live alone there?!”

“Well, I have staff, but no family. I don’t know if that really counts, they’re not really there to _talk_ to.”

“You have _staff_?” Korra looked at Asami incredulously.

“I uhm.” Asami exhaled as she pulled into the garage. “It was just me and dad for a long time. I lost my mom when I was little. Then it turns out that he’d been doing some illegal things. So he ended up in jail and I ended up taking over the company.”

“...how old are you even?”

“Twenty-five. I’ve been the CEO for three years.” Asami stopped the engine, then turned towards Korra. “I have help. Most of my dad’s advisors ended up in jail with him, but I kept the woman who was the whistleblower. So I’m not entirely doing it on my own. It’s a lot to do.”

“But you still find time to race cars and pick up stray girls off the street.”

Asami furrowed her brow. “Are you all right?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know.” Korra threw up her hands, and glowered stubbornly. “What do you even get out of this? What do you want from me?”

Pursing her lips, Asami sank back in her seat. “Nothing. I don’t want anything from you.” She tentatively put a hand on Korra’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I just couldn’t leave you out there to freeze to death. You don’t owe me anything. But I wouldn’t mind a game of checkers.”

Korra stared at Asami. There was a gentle and slightly hurt smile on the rich girl’s face and she felt incredibly guilty. “How are you even real?”

The inside of the mansion was even more impressive than the outside. Korra had no idea what anything was worth so she kept her hands wrapped tightly beneath her arms. Asami showed her where the kitchen was. She also had an indoor pool and a gym, which boggled Korra’s mind. Finally she was shown to a room. It had it’s own adjoined bathroom with a large shower.

“Make yourself comfortable. Why don’t you take a shower, I can take your clothes to get cleaned.” She eyed them dubiously. “And maybe we’ll go shopping tomorrow.”

“Whoa, hold up.” Korra held up her hands. “You don’t need to do that.”

“I want to!” Asami took Korra’s hands and squeezed them. “Please, let me help you.”

Korra looked Asami up and down. Her clothing was snazzy, and it looked expensive. “I don’t really do snazzy. It’s not a look I can pull off like you can.”

“I was thinking more durable and comfortable.” Asami let go and pointed playfully at her. “Now take your clothing off, Korra.”

Korra blinked, then smiled slyly. “I thought you didn’t want anything from me, Asami.”

Her face turned bright red. “I uh no that’s not what I mean! We need to..uhm. Clean your..” She gestured helplessly, and Korra laughed. It felt _good_ to laugh.

She winked. “Settle down, I’m teasing you.”

“Ah..okay.”

Korra started to strip down and Asami flushed. She looked only long enough to get an idea of her physical state. Korra clearly hasn’t eaten well, but it’s obvious she was someone who kept really physically active. There was also what looked like some burns. She didn’t inquire, that was up to Korra to talk about. She held her arms out for Korra’s clothing. “I’ll get these run through the wash. Assuming they somehow survive.”

Korra didn’t really care if anything happened to them as long as Asami had something for her to wear. She felt guilty again, like she was taking advantage, but the elegant woman seemed so earnest and eager. She’d expected questions about her burns, but nothing came. She felt relieved.

The shower was _heaven_. Not just the feeling clean part, but the water washing over her invigorated her. She scrubbed until she thought her skin would be raw, until she was sure she’d somehow gotten months of dirt off of her body, and then she just stayed under the water for a few minutes, relishing it.

When she emerged, there were fresh clothing waiting on the bed. Had Asami brought it, or one of her staff? She found it odd that Asami had been willing to take her clothing. Sitting on the bed, she studied the room. Who was this woman? She was so young, not much older than Korra was, and she had a company and this house and servants. Korra felt completely worthless. What had she done with her life, except try to survive?

Asami found her on the bed, clutching the clothing and crying. She hesitated, then sat next to her and put her arms around her. Korra folded in against her, shoulders heaving from her sobs. “It’s okay,” Asami said. “Let it out. Do you want to talk about it?”

Korra shook her head, unable to even find the words.

“Okay. But if you ever want to, I’ll listen.”

 _How is she even real?_ Korra wondered again. Asami’s hands were warm on her back, rubbing in reassuring circles. She gradually quieted, until the only remnants of her crying fit were puffy eye and a slight headache. But she didn’t move. She didn’t want to move.

“My parents were killed in a fire when I was little. I barely remember it.”

Asami bit her lip, but said nothing, letting Korra find the words in her own time. Her hand did drift to one of the burns and Korra shivered, but didn’t make her move it.

“I was raised by my uncle. He was kind of an asshole. I mean he didn’t hit me or anything, but I was clearly second-fiddle to his own kids. So I kinda started rebelling. Stole some stuff, acted out, whatever you want to call it.” Korra shrugged, and nuzzled her face deeper against Asami’s neck. “Soon as I turned eighteen, he kind of kicked me out. I ended up staying at this buddhist temple for a bit, but it really just felt like I was imposing myself, so I took off.”

“And you’ve been… on your own ever since?”

Biting her lip again, Asami ran through some scenarios in her head, but she decided to just go for it. “You can stay here, if you’d like. Until you get back on your feet I mean. I can help you find work, and I’ve got that gym and pool you can work out in. Once you’re working anything you’d normally pay me for rent can go into a savings account for you.”

Asami obviously didn’t need money, and Korra liked the idea of working for her keep. She couldn’t help herself, pulling her head back and giving Asami a teasing smile. “Working out, huh?”

“Well I noticed, uhm…” Asami flailed one hand, then rested it on Korra’s shoulder. “You look like you used to be really strong.”

Korra’s voice was quiet. “I’d like to be strong again.”


	3. Routine

The bed was so comfortable that it was nearly noon by the time Korra rolled out of bed. Her muscles protested, but it was a good sort of protest. She felt _really_ good. The pajamas that Asami had given her were amazing, and the clothing that someone had left on a chair looked comfortable too. She changed, then looked at herself in the mirror. They didn’t quite fit right - Asami was taller and a little less bulky, but the latter wasn’t really a problem right now. Korra resolved to get herself back into shape. With that in mind, she found the gym and checked it out. Maybe a little warm up and some weights and she’d feel better about herself. She ended up working out until her muscles ached in a wonderfully familiar way.

After she’d showered, she found Asami in the kitchen. The woman had her hair down, and had some plates of food out. She looked like she was engrossed in something on her tablet. Korra snuck over, taking a plate and sitting across from her. She didn’t say anything, just dug into her eggs and occasionally snuck peeks at Asami. She looked so young and vulnerable, even with her makeup making her look a little older. She really liked her hair down though. Realizing she was staring, she turned back to her eggs and hoped Asami hadn’t noticed.

“Sleep well?” Asami finally looked up, smiling at Korra. 

The younger woman flushed and nodded her head. “Yeah. I didn’t mean to sleep in but I haven’t slept like that in forever. I used the gym...is that okay?”

“I figured. It gave me time to get my morning meeting out of the way. I have the rest of the day unless there’s a crisis. And you can use the gym or the pool any time you want.” She put the tablet on the table and spun it around, sliding it across to Korra. “Is there anything there that looks like something you’d like to do?”

Korra looked down at the screen. Asami had compiled a list of a dozen potential jobs. She felt a little overwhelmed, not so much at the number of jobs but that Asami had put in the time to help her. “Oh… thanks. You didn’t really need to...but..how do I select things?”

“Just use your finger to circle the ones you want.”

Nodding, Korra circled three, then slid the tablet back over to Asami. “You’re kind of amazing. Are you sure there’s nothing I can do for you?”

“Actually, I did have a thought.”

“Yeah…?”

“You said you liked to snowboard.” Asami brushed some of her hair behind her ear as she smiled at Korra. “Do you think you could teach me?”

“Yeah!”

Korra couldn’t begin to explain why it was so easy to trust Asami. It had been stupid. She knew that, but something about the other woman made her feel at ease. She seemed genuine. Honest. And she was eager to learn snowboarding which was always a plus in Korra’s book. 

That wouldn’t be for a few days. The first stop on today’s agenda was a clothing store. Asami seemed to be an expert at this. Before Korra knew what was going on, she had an arm full of clothing and had been shoved into a changing room to try it on. It was confusing just how much clothing she had. There were formal outfits, something that Asami said would look good in an interview, casual jeans and shirts, an embarrassing amount of underwear and a new parka.

Still, Asami didn’t have to do any of this, so she tried on each and every outfit, and tossed each bit of clothing into one of three piles. Hell no, fits and keeps, doesn’t fit but she kind of liked.

“You okay, Korra? Need any help?”

“Yeah! I mean I’m good! Almost done.” She slumped against the wall. She wished she’d known Asami before she’d run away. Maybe she wouldn’t have stuck around, but at least she wouldn’t have felt so alone before now.

They fell into a kind of routine over the next week. Without really talking about it they started working out together in the mornings. Korra was determined to make up for lost time, and Asami was happy to help. In the evenings they shared dinner, and Korra found herself gradually opening up. There were some subjects she wasn’t ready to talk about yet, but Asami never pushed.

While Asami was at work, Korra went around applying for jobs. Future Industries was bigger than she’d realized, and she eventually gave up in her quest to find a job that wasn’t associated with the company. A stubborn, prideful part of her wanted to find a job on her own merits, not because Asami Sato happened to own damn near everything and was kind and thoughtful and pretty.

Korra nearly ran into a pole, and caught herself just in time. She leaned against it, staring at another help-wanted sign in another shop, then sighed and went in. And for once she didn’t screw it up, and walked out with a job and a starting time and a huge grin on her face.

Her walk back towards Asami’s home took her past the area where Asami had found her. She shivered, staring at the spot where she could have frozen to death, if it wasn’t for the kindness of a stranger.

She looked up towards the old factory. There was activity there today. Workers seemed to be doing some repair work. She wondered who had bought the place, though she had a suspicion.

Korra had had every intention of getting back to the mansion in time for dinner with Asami, but she got distracted by some kids playing at a dog part. She was staring so wistfully that she didn’t hear the car pull up until Asami’s voice startled her. “Going my way?”

There was an undercurrent to Asami’s voice that made Korra’s heart leap into her throat. She glanced back at her in time to catch the hair flip and decided that wasn’t fair at all. She doubted Asami was doing that on purpose - in fact Asami had gotten very anal-retentive about making sure Korra didn’t feel like she was being taken advantage of. It was actually kind of annoying. _What if I_ want _to be taken advantage of?_

“What?”

“Nothing,” She climbed into the car, sparing another glance at the kids and their dogs. “Just thinking about how much I miss Naga.”

Asami studied her, not sure that’s what she’d said, but she gave Korra the benefit of the doubt. “Naga?”

“My dog. She ran away a few months before I did.” Korra sank down into her seat, folding her arms. “I really miss her.”

Gently, Asami nudged Korra’s knee. “Tell me about her.”

“She was..is. a Kuvasz. This great big white dog. I got her when I was twelve and she was just a puppy but she was already half my size practically. We used to do all kinds of things together. Everything together. And being stuck with my uncle and the creepy cousins she was pretty much my only friend.” Talking about Naga hurt. If she’d only had her, she could have handled being homeless a lot easier. Naga had been warm, she’d have made a great bed, and she’d always been her protector. Korra sank deeper into the seat, turning her head so Asami couldn’t see her cry.

“She sounds like a beautiful dog.”

Korra’s throat constricted. “Oh. Oh she was.”

Asami put her hand on Korra’s leg and squeezed. When she moved to pull it away, Korra stopped her, placing her hand on top of Asami’s and squeezing. She didn’t let Asami have her hand back until they’re parked and the car is off and even then she held onto it.

“You know, you’re a really amazing person.”

Korra shot Asami an incredulous look. “You just met me a week ago. You took me in, fed me, and then bought me clothes, and you’ve never asked me for a thing. _You’re_ the amazing one, Asami.”

Ducking her head, Asami tried to hide a flush. “It’s just that, I mean. You just are. Call it a gut feeling.” She pulled her hand from under Korra’s, but could still feel the heat of her skin long after. 

She tossed her hair, then glanced at Korra and Korra could feel her insides melt. It was suddenly too hot in the car, so she opened the door and got out. She leaned on the roof as she waited for Asami, and with the safety of the car between them she blurted out, “You’re like this perfect woman how are you still single?”

“I’m a really busy woman and I’m anything but perfect.” 

“You make time to eat with me,” Korra pointed out.

“I don’t want you to feel lonely,” Asami protested. She rubbed one of her hands up her arm, not looking at Korra. The younger woman came around the car and wrapped her arms around Asami.

“Are you sure _you’re_ the one that isn’t feeling lonely?”

Asami couldn’t answer that. She wasn’t sure herself but the way Korra said it clicked something on in her brain. She leaned against Korra, feeling an odd sense of safety and protection. “You’re strong, you know. To have made it through everything you’ve been through. I mean, in your heart. I’m not making sense. “

“I got a job!” Korra exclaimed suddenly. She felt Asami stiffen against her, and put her arm around her. “So when I get a paycheck, uhm. Want to get lunch? My treat?”

“Korra, you don’t have to-”

“It’s the least I can do, after everything.” She fixed Asami with a stubborn look. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Knowing that she wasn’t going to win this, Asami relaxed against Korra and nodded her head. “Okay. Just let me know when and I’ll clear the day.”

“Sweet! Speaking of food, I’m starving.”

Korra peeled off of Asami and hurried away towards the kitchen. Asami sagged against the car. It had only been a week but she was pretty sure she’d never been this attracted to someone in her life. “Cool it, Sato. It’s just lunch. Don’t take advantage of her.”

Just lunch, she reminded herself as she pulled out her smartphone. “Hey, can you do me a favor? I need to find a lost dog. Yeah, I’m serious. It’s a very specific dog. Okay, I’ll email you the info. Thanks.” She smiled into the phone. 

“Who was that?” Korra looked up as Asami came into the kitchen.

“Just an ex. Nice guy, you’d like him.”

“Tell me you’re not trying to set me up.”

Asami laughed, a little too nervously. “God no.”

“Good.” Korra flashed her a smile.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” She stuffed her phone into her pocket.

“Thanks.”

She paused, and looked at Korra. “For what?”

“For helping me feel better. I’ve never really had any friends before.”

“No problem,” Asami replied, staring straight ahead into the fridge and forgetting what she was looking for. She finally grabbed a bottled water and straightened. “I’m glad we met, too. You know what, lets order take-out and watch a movie.”

Korra nodded. She felt immeasurably better after earlier, and gave Asami a grateful smile. “That sounds great!”


	4. Reunion

Waitressing wasn’t really Korra’s style, but the tips were nice and she liked being able to get things for herself again. Most of her paycheck ended up in a savings account that Asami had helped her set up, but she didn’t have to always rely on her new friend to get something to eat. She even treated herself to new boots, and she had her eye on a snowboard. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so _secure_. And she owed it all to Asami. Korra hated owing anyone anything, but every time Asami smiled at her her stomach fluttered and started doing backflips. Korra had a crush and it was high time she admitted it to herself.

It almost felt like things were backwards. There were walls around Asami, like she was protecting herself from the world and a part of Korra wanted to take those walls down and do the protecting for her. She wasn’t really in a position for that. Asami had _everything_. She looked down at her phone, paging through the contact list. She’d made a few friends, including getting along with the three or so people Asami called friend. She bit her lip then dialed a number.

“Hey, Mako! It’s Korra. Want to get lunch? I need some advice.”

Over the past two months, Asami had gotten used to having Korra around. She enjoyed the time they spent together, usually breakfast and dinner, and she liked hearing about Korra’s day. She loved having someone who seemed to want to know about _her_ day, too. She was afraid to even think the word, but Korra had become a _friend_. And friends were something that Asami Sato had precious few of.

“I don’t even want to know what you spent.” Bolin leaned on the back of her chair, and poked a finger into the top of her head. “You know you had my bro running around like some kind of super detective?”

“That’s because Mako _is_ a super detective.” She surveyed the destruction in her office, and the source of the damage flopped on the couch. “And he’s _sure_ that’s Naga?”

At the sound of her name, the dog’s ears perked up and she lifted her head.

“Looks like it.”

Asami sighed, uneasily. “What am I doing?”

“Reuniting a girl and her dog?” He moved over to sit on her desk, and pursed his lips. “I know you like Korra. But do you like, _like_ Korra? In a liking sort of way. I mean you really like her, but do you _like_ her or do you _like_ her. And it’s totally okay if you _like_ her because she’s like so hot, and she’s really nice, and strong, and I’m pretty sure she could bench press you. And you flip your hair at her like, _all the time_. Even _Mako_ figured it out. You’ve got it _bad_.”

She did have a pretty obvious flirting style. Asami’s face heated up the more Bolin talked, and Korra bench pressing her? She’d seen the girl work out. She’d worked out and _sparred_ with Korra. She fanned herself. “Bolin! Bolin! I’m not doing _anything_ inappropriate! She’s a… she’s a guest and she’s still trying to get back on her feet. I’m _not_ taking advantage of her.”

Bolin pointed at her, and whispered with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. “What if she _wants_ to be taken advantage of?”

She flashed back to a time she’d managed to pin Korra. The way Korra had looked at her, she wasn’t sure that her friend even knew what she was doing. She’d rolled off of her, suddenly out of breath and flushed.

Bolin snapped his fingers in front of her face and she jumped. Her cheeks were red. “Uh.”

“Look, you're a gigantic dork.” He put his hands on his friend’s shoulders and gave her his most super serious look. “You _need_ to _talk_ to her. Trust me.”

“What if-”

“ _Trust me_.”

Asami closed her eyes, then rested her forehead on her desk. “Fine.”

“Okay so you can sit there and freak out, _I_..” Bolin jerked his thumb towards Naga and finished rapidly, “... am gonna go play with the big fluffy dog.”

Korra thought about that big fluffy dog at least twice a day. She was sitting on a bench in the park, watching the dogs play while Mako worked his way through a hotdog.

The man wiped his mouth. “I’m not sure I’m the best person to give dating advice, Korra.”

“I don’t want _dating_ advice.” She elbowed him lightly. “I want _Asami_ advice. I just… want to thank her for everything. I just don’t know how to do it. ”

“I dunno.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“You’re so fucking helpful.”

“I’m probably not the best person to ask when it comes to making her happy.” Mako frowned, and looked down at his coke. “I think she … wanted or needed things I couldn’t give her when we were dating. We work better as friends, but she still kind of mystifies me sometimes.”

Korra stared at him, incredulously. “Is there seriously _nothing_ you can think of that she’d want that I can give her? I’ve never had a girl friend before. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Mako inhaled some soda and started coughing. When he recovered, he shot Korra a mirror of the look she’d given him. “ I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you buy her dinner?”

“Dinner? We always do dinner together.” 

“Yeah but have you ever paid? Like taken her out?”

“No…”

“There you go. Asami has all that money but other than Bolin and me she didn’t have anyone until you showed up.”

“She found me on the street, Mako. I don’t think I count.”

Mako rolled his eyes. “Korra. You’re like her best friend now. You count.”

Korra picked at one of her nails, then pushed her hair behind her ear. “I think I like her more than that.” It was the first time she’d admitted it out loud.

“Take her out to dinner. Treat her like a princess.”

“Will that work? What about the whole… I owe her so much thing?”

“Asami likes looking out for her friends. She wanted to help, and she helped you,” Mako said. “But she likes being taken care of. Treat her like a princess.”

Korra chewed on her lip. “She’s already kind of a princess, Mako.”

“Come on, I’ll drop you off. I’ve got to pick up Bolin anyway.” Mako got up, tossing the hot dog wrapper into a trash can. The delivery should have already been made, and while he wanted to see the look on Korra’s face, he thought that Asami deserved to see that more.

Bolin gave Korra a drive-by hug as she stepped out of Mako’s car. His hair was tousled and he looked disheveled. Korra stared at him, an uneasy feeling settling in her gut. Were he and Asami…? No way. The thought was kind of preposterous. 

She left herself in. “Asami?”

She checked the kitchen first, but no Asami. The other woman was probably in her office, so she walked down the hall in that direction, and called for Asami again.

What responded wasn’t Asami, but the pounding of four feet as a very large white dog burst through the door and charged towards her. She had the barest glimpse of a shocked looking Asami leaning out the door just before the dog bowled her over.

Naga whimpered and licked at her, her tail wagging in a blur. Korra dug her fingers into her fur, overwhelmed by the _scent_. Naga had been bathed, but she still smelled like Naga. I twas Naga. It was _Naga_! Overwhelmed, Korra started to spontaneously cry ugly, _heaving_ sobs as she buried her face in the dog’s chest, wrapping her arms as far as she could around Naga. When Naga had gone missing it had broken her heart. The dog barked happily. “I missed you too, girl,” she choked out. “Never letting you go again, never ever.”

When she was cried out, Korra sat up. She kept an arm around Naga and the dog was disinclined to move. She nuzzled her. “Did Asami find you?” Asami had disappeared back into her office and Korra was grateful. She was embarrassed. “Okay. Oof. Let me up!”

It took some more cajoling and a promise of a treat, but Korra managed to get back to her feet. She wiped her eyes with the back of her arm and then tentatively walked towards the office. She lifted her hand to knock, then dropped it and just opened the door. Inside, Asami was finishing re-applying her eyeshadow. Korra said nothing. She liked to watch Asami work magic with her face. She thought Asami was beautiful no matter what, but there was something magical about what she could do with make-up.

Asami looked up, smiling. “Hey.”

Korra lifted her hands, and waved them around. “How did you even…?”

“I had help. Once I gave Mako what he needed he was able to track her down. Then I spared no expense to make sure she got home to you.”

“I just saw him and he didn’t even… oh I’m going to…”

“Thank him?”

Korra smiled. “I was going to say hit him for hiding that from me but I should probably hug him.” She stepped forward, and then before she could stop herself she was crushing Asami in a tight hug. Asami’s arms folded around her and she almost started crying again. Almost. “I can’t _believe_ you…”

“Is that bad?” Asami was having trouble breathing but she didn’t want Korra to let go.

“I feel like I don’t deserve a friend like you. You’ve done so much for me and you’ve turned my life around and you’re so kind and patient and wonderful and you’re kind of this gigantic dork and you found Naga you _found Naga_ and.... oh god I’m gonna cry again.”

“Mako helped,” Asami whispered. She pressed her face into Korra’s hair and hugged her a little tighter. There was nothing stopping her from kissing Korra. She had just about made the decision to do just that when Naga nudged her way between them. She couldn’t help but laugh. Korra grinned over the dog at her, eyes watery, and Asami felt herself fall much deeper into the hole. She could swim in those eyes.

“Do you have plans tomorrow night?”

Korra’s question startled her. “No?”

“Wrong, you totally have plans tomorrow.” 

There it was. That cocky grin of Korra’s that Asami was seeing more and more. She _loved_ it. She ran her fingers through Naga’s fur. “Oh do I?”

“Yep. Dinner! I saved up and everything so my treat. Dress to kill.”

Asami licked her lips, but Korra was looking so earnest that she couldn’t say no. She knew how important it was for Korra to feel like she could do something without relying on her. And honestly, she hadn’t been on a date since she was nineteen. She flipped her hair. “So it’s a date?”

To Asami’s eternal delight, Korra flushed. “Yeah. I guess so.”

The big fluffy dog between them barked, and Asami laughed. “You know, Naga has probably been dying to play with you. Why don’t you take her out back and I’ll order pizza.”

“Yes!” Korra hopped back to her feet. She gave Asami another wide smile. “Thank you so much.”

Naga started tugging Korra out of the office. Asami called out after her. “You’re welcome!” Then she sank back in her chair and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She felt suddenly very giddy. Korra had asked _her_ out and she felt like a weight lifted off of her shoulders. “Dress to kill? Challenge accepted, Korra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided that this needed at least one more chapter since there's still some things I want to do!


	5. A Night Out

Korra probably spent more time finding something to wear for this one little date than she had ever in her life. She hadn’t ever really been on a date before. Being stuck with her uncle and creepy cousins had been murder for her dating life. Thinking about that period of her life wasn’t something that Korra wanted to do right now. She’d only really given Asami the cliff notes version and it wasn’t really date night conversation material, but just thinking about it was making her anxious. She did some breathing exercises, and then checked herself out in the mirror.

Blue always was her color. She’d chosen a sleeveless wrap in a deep navy blue, with black slacks and somewhat sensible shoes. Unable to help herself, she flexed and grinned at herself in the mirror. She’d lost so much weight and muscle definition over the time she’d been on the street that it was incredibly to see her body bouncing back. She wasn’t at her peak yet, but it was a start.

She was worried about her hair, though. She’d dragged Mako to the salon because she refused to suffer alone and she had a picture on her phone of him sitting underneath the hair dryer with the grumpiest expression on his face. So even if her new bob was a complete disaster she could show Asami that and hopefully salvage the situation. She touched the ends, then ran her fingers over her scalp. “Lets do this.”

She felt less confident than she sounded.

Asami was never one to pry. Occasionally she’d coax some information out of Korra, but only when it seemed as though the woman needed a little help to say something. Mostly she waited, letting Korra open up, and opening up more and more herself. She was still amazed at how connected she felt to Korra. The woman had evolved from what was basically a charity case to one of her best friends.

She’d gone with red, of course. It was predictable, but it was her favorite color and most of her accessories went with it. Her dress was shoulderless and shimmery. It exposed her throat and much of her upper chest, hugging it's way down her body with a slit starting just above her left knee. She hoped that would be enough to knock her dead. Though Korra always claimed that Asami’s hair was effortless, she still made sure it was extra wavy, with gold and reds pins to pull her hair back enough to expose her ears. She affixed dangling, sparkly earrings, then reached for her makeup kit. Make-up was like a ritual for her. Like a soldier putting on body-armor to deflect against the worst the world had to throw at her. It was silly and sentimental, but she didn’t think she could ever stop, even if she wanted to.

This was a different kind of armor though. She hesitated, eyeshadow in hand, and gave herself a really good look in the mirror. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d wanted to actually impress someone like this. Wear make-up as more than armor. She smirked at herself and decided that tonight, she’ll wear it like a _weapon_. She still couldn’t believe Korra had asked her out. She was _relieved_ since it took a lot of pressure off of her. She’d worried so constantly about her developing attraction being wrong. Not because Korra was a woman, but because of how they’d met and how Asami had helped her.

She stepped into heels, not that she needed the extra height on Korra, and exited her room. Korra was already waiting downstairs and she took the stairs carefully. She looked up at Korra as the other woman gasped, and smiled seductively at her. “Am I knocking you dead?”

“I uh...hmm..hunh…” Korra rubbed at her arm, unable to tear her eyes away. Everything about the way Asami looked was making her body burn up. “Your decolletage is awesome, Asami.”

Asami had been admiring Korra’s arms when her words sunk in. She lifted her hand to hide an almost painful grin. “My _what?_ ”

“You’re..you know…” Korra gestured in the general vicinity of Asami’s throat and chest. She was turning redder by the second. Why had she _said_ that? And now Asami was laughing. This was a _disaster_.

“I know what decolletage means, Korra.” Asami came over and threaded her arm through her friend’s. “Not a word I expected to hear, that’s all.”

Korra ducked her head, darting her eyes away from Asami. “I heard it at work and I really liked it but I don’t even know why I said that out loud.”

“You’re so cute.” Asami leaned in, lips close to Korra’s ear. “You look really good. You’re so beautiful, Korra.” The fingers of her free hand fluttered up Korra’s bicep and it took a great deal of willpower to just leave it at that.

Asami was playing up the charm. Korra was certain her legs were going to give out and they hadn’t even left the house yet. Korra had the realization that Asami could ask her to do anything in that voice and she’d do it. She just knew that Asami _wouldn’t_. She put her hand on Asami’s arm, smiling at her. “If I give you directions will you promise not to guess where we’re going?”

That lopsided smile was always enough to make Asami’s heart flutter in her chest, so she nodded. “Promise.”

Asami had way too many cars, a fact that she was a little embarrassed about so she let Korra pick one out. “How’s work? Besides learning new and interesting words?”

Trying to not sink into her seat, Korra responded. “Busy. Which is good, I think. Maybe things are starting to recover. I definitely like the tips and I get along with the staff. I almost have enough set aside for that snowboard and I’m still gonna teach you. I mean, I don’t want to do this forever, but when I see someone smiling at me because I helped them relax? It’s a feeling that’s kinda hard to beat.”

“That’s good! One of the first things to go when the economy tightens are dinners out.” Asami flashed a smile at Korra. “It means that people are comfortable enough financially to splurge a little.”

They passed the old factory, which was bustling with activity and lights. Korra peered out the window at it. So many months ago it had been as dead and lifeless as she’d felt. “What’s going on there, anyway?” She glanced back at Asami, quirking an eyebrow because she felt like buying it was something the woman would do.

Asami tilted her head and bit her lower lip. “I’ve been renovating it. It’s putting people to work, and when it’s done it’ll keep putting people to work. We’ve been working on a secret project for about a year now and that renovated factory will be where we’ll build it.”

Korra knew that Asami worked in engineering. She’d eventually found out just how involved in her company Asami actually was, even. She was still amazed the woman found time to even talk to her, let along hang out. “Is it so secret you can’t tell me?”

“I’ve been working on a new long-range electric motor. With the right car design we’ll be able to make something as fun to drive and stylish as a Tesla but as affordable as a Toyota,” Asami explained. “And it will run entirely on electricity. We’ve also developed a solar powered charging station. It adds to the cost of the car but when hooked up to someone’s home, it will be able to charge the car, and any left over electricity will power the home and reduce the power bill.”

“And when do you expect to start selling these things?” Korra found Asami’s excitement to be incredibly cute.

“Next year, if all goes well!”

Leaning her chin on her hand, Korra studied Asami. “You’re amazing, you know that? Kind and lightning smart. Though you do have some weird viewing habits.”

Asami took another turn. “My viewing habits aren’t _weird_ , Korra. Besides, you’re the amazing one.” She glanced over at her. “You’ve been through so much.”

“Asami, you run a multi-billion dollar company and design electric motors and you actually try to like...help people.” Korra wanted to help people. She suddenly realized just how much she needed to. Pay it forward, help people the way Asami helped her so that maybe they didn’t have to suffer like she had. “And your viewing habits are plenty weird. You’ll watch a whole series, then watch again it right after _backwards_.”

“... I like to appreciate the foreshadowing and story,” Asami replied, with faux stiffness. She immediately relaxed and reached over to squeeze Korra’s arm. “What is it? You’re thinking about something.”

Korra sank down into the car seat. “I know what it’s like to lose everything, to be homeless. People spat on me or yelled at me. I’ve been accused of being lazy or being a whore. Men have tried to buy me or use me. You don’t even want to know the things I’ve had to eat.” She felt a chill and hugged herself. “Even before I left my uncle used me, just for the money the government gave him. And he stole the money that was supposed to be mine after my parents died. Not just what they had saved away, but the social security benefits I got until I was eighteen.” She was getting worked up. She’d never told anyone any of this before. “I want to help people. Girls who ended up like me. Or worse. But I don’t know how to do that and I can’t ask you to help with this because you already do so much and it’s not like it’s my money or anything. I just don’t know where to start.”

She’d started crying at some point, and Asami had pulled over because the next thing she realized, Asami’s arms were around her. She leaned into the hug. It didn’t take long for her to calm down. Asami was warm and her skin was soft and her hair smelled like some kind of citris fruit. Korra made a lazy mental note to ask her about her shampoo.

Asami’s voice was muffled in her hair. “That’s a wonderful thought.” The older woman pulled her head back, green eyes water but smile bright. “And I’ll help you figure it out. If that’s okay? I’m thinking we can see about legal action against your uncle, to start.” She was already building her argument about setting up some kind of shelter in Korra’s name. She was just so moved by Korra’s idea that she wanted to see it become a reality.

Now that was something Korra could immediately get on board with. “Really? Oh man I’d love to see the look on his face.”

“We’ll rub it in,” Asami promised.

Despite the delay, they weren’t late for their reservation. The restaurant was a lot classier and upscale than the cafe that Korra worked at, but it wasn’t as good as the places she knew Asami had probably been to. It was just the best place she could afford. To her relief, Asami didn’t say anything about it, instead taking Korra’s hand as they walked inside. She looked excited and the site made Korra’s heart pound in her chest. Between breaking down over Naga yesterday and then the conversation in the car, she felt a little lightheaded. A little emotionally raw.

But she was the one taking Asami out, so she bucked up. She even pulled out a chair for her date, her hand lingering on Asami’s back. She was determined to make this a fun evening. When she sat, she caught Asami staring at her. “...what?”

“Oh. Nothing.” A faint blush crept onto Asami’s face, and she looked down at the table. She’d only known Korra for about three months, but she really, really liked her. And after hearing about what she’d been through and what she wanted to do with that experience it made something in Asami’s chest clench. “But remember how you said you wanted to be strong again?”

“Yeah…?”

Asami met her eyes. “I really think you’ve made it.”

“You mean that?” Korra burst into a grin. It met her eyes and made them light up. It made Asami dizzy.

“Yes. Not just physically, but in your heart too. You were always strong there, but it takes a lot to trust someone, and you trusted me and I’m terrified of somehow breaking that trust.”

“Asami…” Korra reached across the table and put her hand over the woman’s hand. “You’ve already proven to me you’re a good person. I don’t think you’d ever break my trust. Not on purpose. And you’d probably feel really bad if you did it accidentally.”

She was looking at Asami with that trust in her eyes and Asami had to blink her eyes dry before she ruined her make-up. “I’m sorry ahead of time, just in case.”

Korra flashed her another lopsided smile. “Me too.” She figured that part of life was occasionally doing or saying stupid things. She looked at the menu and only had a mild heart attack at the prices. She did the math in her head, making a concentrating face that Asami found to be really adorable, and then sighed in relief. “Okay! Cool. Lets totally do some wine or something.”

Both of Asami’s eyebrows disappeared into her hair line. “Wine?”

“Yeah! I can totally afford it and I’m treating you.” It just meant waiting a paycheck for that snowboard.

“I’m not sure we should drink too much, I do have to drive,” Asami said. She was actually little worried about lowering her inhibitions around Korra, afraid of saying something that might ruin their friendship. “But I think I could use a glass and we can take the bottle home to finish.”

Strengthening alcohol was needed, stat, Korra decided. She nodded. “Sounds perfect!” For her meal she picked out something red and still bleeding, while Asami went with fish. “Save room for dessert, Asami. All the online reviews say the chocolate cake is killer.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

It was about halfway through her glass of wine that Korra felt something run up her ankle. She nearly choked on the liquid, swallowing it painfully. She met her date’s eyes as she realized that was Asami’s _foot_. It moved up to her knee, and then back down and Asami was smirking over her glass. Korra’s eyes were drawn to the lipstick smudged on the rim, then darted back up to Asami’s face. She put the wine down and picked up a glass of water instead. If Asami was going to pull out weapons like that she wanted to be sober enough to enjoy it. And it helped cool her down, too. She smiled, giddily. 

It was next to impossible to concentrate on her food. Korra had started playing footsie back. She was trying very hard to think of a way to find out if they were on the same page while she ran her toes over the top of Korra’s foot. Korra’s eyes fluttered closed, and when they opened again Asami felt her insides warm up and her limbs started to tingle.

Her voice was a lot more throaty than she expected. “Why don’t we get that cake to go?”

The look Asami was giving her was a bona fide smolder and Korra felt something tighten deep inside her stomach. Her voice was two octaves too high. “Okay, sounds good…!” She struggled to regain control of herself, and in a much more normal voice asked for the cake, a check and boxes to go. Asami laughed, and Korra could listen to that sound forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one ran a little long, so it'll come in two parts! Or mostly I keep finding new excuses to extend this fic.


	6. Not Alone

Asami disappeared to freshen up while Korra paid. Korra had someone box up the remains of their meal and the cake, and she was waiting outside when Asami reappeared. Her heart was thundering, and her mind was racing. She wanted to hear Asami in that deep come on voice again. 

She reached for Asami’s hand and squeezed it. “You ready to get back?”

Korra’s expression was searching and admiring and Asami felt that flutter in her chest again. She let Korra lead her back to the car, lazily stroking at the woman’s knuckles as they walked. She unlocked the car, wishing they’d taken a cab. She wanted both of her hands free. And her lips free. Okay, she told herself. Cool it! But not _too_ cool.

Korra reached past her to open the door for her. She gave Korra a quizzical look, and Korra just smiled sheepishly. “Sorry…”

“No, it’s okay. I kind of like that, actually.” She kissed Korra’s cheek, then slid into the driver’s seat. In a daze, Korra walked around the car before getting in herself.

“So…” Korra said, her voice breathy and a little shaky. She glanced at Asami, who looked back out of the corner of her eyes, then reached out.

Her fingers touched Asami’s hand. They stroked along her knuckles and Asami moved her hand so she could caress Korra back. Their fingers danced with each other, caressing and stroking gently. The shivers that ran up Korra’s arm made it difficult to breathe normally, and when Korra snuck a glance at Asami she could tell the other woman was just as breathless.

Asami tried to regulate her breathing, but still sounded out of breath. “Dinner was good, thank you.” 

“Glad you enjoyed yourself.” Korra shifted, turning towards Asami and bringing her fingers to her lips. She had solicited some advice from Mako before her date, and hopefully he hadn’t led her wrong. She kissed the tips of one finger. To her delight, Asami’s breath hitched. Korra kissed each finger in turn, then her knuckles, palm, and wrist. By the time she reached Asami’s wrists, the woman’s gasps had turned into groans. 

It was like Korra knew exactly the best way to drive Asami up the wall and was exercising it with pin-point precision. She narrowed her eyes slightly and wondered if she’d gotten tips from _Mako_. Then, Korra flicked her tongue out and Asami swerved the car. “Korra! You’re going to get us killed!”

Korra started to laugh, but she lowered Asami’s hand. “Well I could do something else that would definitely get us killed.”

Asami nearly pulled over right then and there. Her face was as red as her dress. “Oh my god.”

“Too much?” Korra suddenly felt antsy and wondered if she’d messed up.

“No no.” Asami glanced at her quickly to give her a reassuring look. “You’ve just got some surprises, Korra.”

“That’s a good thing, right?”

Asami moved her hand to Korra’s knee and rubbed. “It’s _amazing_.”

Korra shot out of the car after Asami pulled into the garage, determined to open the door for her. She took Asami’s offered hand and helped her out of the car. She’d completely forgotten about the food and wine bottle in the back seat, their skin contact like fire.

Asami led Korra inside the house, their fingers still caressing together in ways that made her knees tremble. She closed the door behind them, and took a chance to look into Korra’s inviting eyes. Asami’s eyes dipped to Korra’s lips, then back up. Before she could change her mind, she leaned down and kissed Korra. Her head started to spin. Korra’s lips were smooth and firm and perfect and she probably could have done that all night. She broke the kiss and leaned heavily against the door, closing her eyes. Breathlessly, she whispered. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Hey you…” Korra put one hand on Asami’s shoulder and used the other to force her to look at her. She knew that Asami needed validation and permission to assuage her worries. “It’s okay. Really.” Then she pulled Asami’s head down, her kiss eager and full of want. The taller woman hugged Korra,lifting her up a little. She made a pleasantly surprised sound when Korra pushed her into the door.

Somehow, they made it to the bedroom. A bedroom. Korra thought was Asami’s because the bed was gigantic and then Asami pushed her into it and she fell flat on her back. Propping herself up she watched, wide-eyed, as Asami shrugged her dress off. It fell to the floor, landing with a foomph sound that was now Korra’s favorite sound. She completely forgot how to breath. She sat up, reaching over and pulling Asami into her lap. The engineer straddled her, trailing her fingers along Korra’s arms and humming in approval. She helped Korra pull her shirt off, then looked her over, chewing on her lip. “I knew I was in trouble when I saw you in the gym.

“I knew I was in trouble when I started wondering if you were real.” Korra leaned her head forward, face planting right into her chest. She blew on her skin lightly. Asami started laughing, wrapping her arms around Korra’s shoulders, and a moment later Korra’s laughter joined hers. Asami pulled her face up and kissed her. Korra kissed back, before dissolving into laughter again. Asami didn’t even know why, only it made her laugh too. Korra looked so _happy_ , and she felt unbelievably joyful. Laughter turned to other sounds. Gasps and moans and cried out names. Even some breathless giggling.

Korra fell asleep first, and in the quiet of the night Asami stroked her hair. She wanted Korra to stay in the morning, and the next and the next and she realized suddenly that she didn’t know what she’d do if Korra moved out. They’d talked about apartments off and on. She’d let her, of course. But it would hurt. She wondered how the woman had wormed her way into her heart in just a few months, but she didn’t think about it too much longer before sleep claimed her.

The sun creeped in through the window the next morning. Korra shifted as the light hit her eyes. Her body was pleasantly sore and when she rolled over she felt Asami snuggle in against her. Grinning, she kissed the woman’s cheek, and slipped her arm around her waist. Asami shifted, her own eyes opening. They laid there lost in the moment, until nature called and stomachs rumbled. Korra rolled out of bed laughing, and ran for the bathroom. 

Asami pulled on a robe, grateful for the interruption. She was a bit of a romantic and it was only a matter of time before she blurted out just how much Korra meant to her. She made her way to the kitchen, putting on some toast and taking out some eggs. Every time she thought about their date and their night, she grinned. When Korra joined her, she served breakfast. She didn’t say anything, trying to figure out why the air felt so heavy between them. Suddenly, she worried that they might have made a mistake.

“Korra… Are you okay?”

“Yeah?” Korra grinned at her through a mouthful of bread. “I’m great! That was _amazing_! I could...well I’d like to go again sometime. If you want.”

“If we didn’t need to eat I’d keep you here all day,” Asami deadpanned.

Swallowing, Korra laughed. Her expression soured, and she tapped her fingers on the table. She had something she wanted to ask about but she didn’t know how to go about it. “Remember how we talked about apartments?”

Asami felt her spine lock and her stomach lurch. She kept her face and tone as neutral as possible. “Yeah? You’re probably getting close to being able to live on your own.” That hurt more than she cared to admit. She got up to get some water, keeping her back to Korra so that Korra couldn’t see her hands shaking. “You should do what makes you the most comfortable. But you’re welcome to stay as long as you wish.”

“I like it here,” Korra said. She hesitated, then added. “If I’m still welcome.”

“Of course you’re welcome.” Asami brought her a glass, and sat next to her. “Why would you think you weren’t?”

“I was worried it would be weird. After last night. But it doesn’t really feel weird…” Her shoulders sagged. “I don’t really know what I’m doing. Or what the… protocol is. Or if we’re...what we are.”

Putting her hand on Korra’s shoulder, Asami leaned in. “I’d love it if you stayed. I… I really lo- like you. I _really_ like you. I want to be your girlfriend.”

Korra echoed a sentiment she’d expressed to Mako. “Never had a girlfriend before. Guess I do now!“ A relieved smile spread over her face. “I really like you too, Asami. I was just scared I’m overstaying my welcome. This all started with an act of kindness and now look at us.”

Firmly, Asami replied, “You’d never overstay your welcome.”

“I didn’t like being alone....”

Asami leaned her forehead against Korra’s. “Neither did I. Korra?”

“Mm?”

“Do you have a shift today?” Asami’s mind was already working through what she wanted to do. The phone calls she needed to make to start the process of exacting a pound of flesh from Korra’s uncle. And they could take Naga to the park together and then she wanted to - Korra snuggled in against her and Asami’s thought train derailed spectacularly.

“I’m off today!”

“Good. I’m calling in.” Her lips brushed Korra’s nose. “I don’t care what we do today, as long as we do it together.”

“Don’t worry!” Korra beamed at her, before lowering the timber of her voice. “I’ve got some ideas.”


End file.
